Dream and Reality
by colonelduckie
Summary: (turtle-tot) Is there more to the turtle's shared dream than they know? collab with BigDreamChaser (dA)


**A/N: Collab with BigDreamChaser on DeviantART**

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Mikey dragged his orange blanket from his room. He rubbed his eyes with his free hand. "Sensei, I had a bad dream," he looked up at his father "Now I can't sleep."

"What was the nightmare my son?" Splinter said in a soft murmur, closing the book he was reading. The small turtle looked down at his feet, finding it impossible to talk.

Mikey sniffed, twisting the blanket in his small hands. "Leo, Raphie, Donnie, an' me were in the sewer when…" he paused, he looked down at his feet once again, as if they could help him.

"Then what happened next?" he persisted. Mikey looked at Splinter with horror, his ice blue orbs became cloudy with tears welling down his face, "t-t-then th-there was an-an 'splosion!" Mikey started to tremble, "the-the ground u-under us fell...we all started falling!"

Mikey started shaking uncontrollably, tears streaming from under his mask. Master Splinter scooped him up in a hug, gently rocking him back and forth, "it's alright, my son."

Mikey rubbed his eyes, "th-then we-we fell an' fell."

Splinter hugged the young turtle close, whipping the remaining tears on his dapples face. He rocked Mikey back and forth, slowly lulling Mikey back to sleep. Splinter heard the door creak open once more. A tiny green face poked out.

"S-sensei, I-I can't sleep," Donnie slowly creeped out of his room.

Splinter waved his tail for his son to come forward. The olive-green shuffled forward, never taking his chocolate-brown gaze from the floor. "I-I...had a nightmare," the young turtle stammered, his chocolate orbs filling with tears. Donnie sat down next to Splinter.

Splinter placed his arm around Donnie, "tell me Donatello, what was your nightmare about?" Splinter asked softly as to not wake the now sleeping Michelangelo.

"I-i-it was so dark…" the young turtle admitted, "me and my brothers were falling!" his reply came in gasping sobs, tears, were not pouring down his face. He went on, "horrible rumblin' sound so loud…" his voice trailed off tears flowing from his chocolate orbs.

Splinter heard the door open for a third time. Could it be possible they all shared the same dream? He could hear footsteps approaching.

Leo's head poked through the door, his blue blanket dragged behind him.

"Bad dream my son?" Splinter whispered, not wanting to wake the now sleeping Donnie and Mikey. Leo looked down in hesitation, he eyes filled with tears as he nodded.

Leo told his father about his dream; the same dream as Mikey and Donnie

"Why are Mikey an' Donnie here?" Leo asked.

Splinter looked at him and smiled.

Seeing the warmth in Master Splinter eyes, his sobs started to stop. Splinter looked down at his sons, both sleeping in the comfort of his arms.

"Come Leonardo, sit next to your brothers and me. It would appear the three of you shared the same dream."

Leo climbed up onto the couch and took the side next to Mikey. "Really?" He asked. "What about Raph?"

Splinter have Leo a shrug, not knowing if Raphael had shared the same dream the other three brother dreamt. Even if Raph had a bad dream he would never swallow his pride to admit it, Splinter thought.

Leo climbed up onto is father's lap and settled in between Mikey and Donnie. Soon Splinter heard the quiet snores of his three sons.

Mikey was the first to wake up the next morning, he was surprised to see Donnie and Leo asleep next to him.

One of Leo's brothers stirred beside him; causing him to yawn. Leo slowly opened his tired eyes to see Mikey starring at him, his ice blue orbs looking just as tired as Leo felt. Donnie eventually stirred too, his chocolate eyes still puffy from crying. He had noticed they were no longer in their father's arm, but in his bed.

Leo sat up and let out another huge yawn, rubbing his eyes to clear them, something was missing, Leo though. Looking for the red masked turtle; where was Raph?

"Let's go get Raph," Leo said to his brothers, "we all had a bad dream maybe he did too."

Dragging their blankets behind them, Donnie and Mikey followed Leo. When they got to their shared room, they could not find Raph.

"Raphie?" Donnie yawned.

"Where are you?" Mikey asked.

Leo smiled and pointed. Raph was hidden among the shadows in a corner, his red blanket wrapped around him, in hoped to give him some comfort. Raph's usually bright green orbs were dull, exhausted from lack of sleep.

Mikey walked over to his brother and reach his hand out, "bad dream Raphie?" he asked.

Raph slowly nodded, "how'd ya know?"

"We all had the same nightmare," Leo said gesturing to his other brothers. "I wondered if you had the same dream."

Raph slowly started to explain his dream, as the others expected it was true, they had all experienced the same nightmare. Raph finished the story, his voice shook, the only sign that Raph was truly scared.

"Why do ya think we all had the same dream?" Raph asked.

"I dunno," said Mikey, "but I don't wanna go 'sploring now! What if it happens?" Mikey his behind his blanket.

"I dunno," Raph admitted. Seeing the sorrow in Mikey's eyes he gave him a playful punch on the shoulder

"Does anyone remember what happens after we all fall?" Donnie asked, "I only remember falling that's it. Nothing else after that."

"No," Leo spoke up, "I was so terrified after losing all of you I woke up," he said, his voice growing heavy, but Raph stayed strangely silent; finding the floor more interesting than their conversation.

"I was just so scared I woke up, just like you Leo," Donnie said.

Mikey was playing with the frayed end of his orange blanket.

"Mikey, Raph what made you wake up?" Leo asked.

Raph continued to stare at the floor while Mikey continued to play with his blanket,

"I-I remember hitting the ground…" Mikey said very softly

Raph froze and almost stopped breathing. He stood on shaky legs, terror filling his green orbs, "gotta go," he mumbled, leaving his brothers with confused looks on their faces.

"Raphie what's wrong?" Donnie asked.

"Is Raphie okay?" Mikey asked.

Raph fled the room. Tears were now running down his face, blinded by tears he ran into Master Splinter.

"Raphael, what is wrong my son?" Splinter asked.

Leo came running out of the room, "Raphie are you…" he paused when he saw Master Splinter. "He saw the same dream as us," he said.

Splinter repeated his question to Raphael.

Raph angrily whipped away his tears. He realized he was shaking in terror, he tried to open his mouth to speak, but nothing came out, "nothin'" was all he could manage to say, as he tried to slipping past Master Splinter.

Splinter caught him, "There must be something wrong my son, for you to be this upset."

"Raph you can tell us," Leo said.

"You will feel a weight lifted off your chest if you tell us," Splinter said.

"In my dream, we hit the ground and…" his voice trailed off

"What happened next?" Splinter pressed.

Raph slowly continued, "I woke on the ground and I saw Mikey, Leo, and Don on the ground too!" Raph's voice was rising with panic, tears streamed down his deep green face, he continued. "I tried to wake you up, but you would't!" he looked at his brothers.

Donnie, Mikey, and Leo never saw that much terror in their brother. He had always been strong, but all of that was forgotten now. All of a sudden Raph raced away; into the sewers.

Leo and Donnie chased after Raph, Mikey froze, he was too afraid to go to the sewers.

"Mikey you coming?" Donnie called over his shoulder. Mikey's big blue eyes were even larger.

Splinter scooped up the scared Mikey, "Let's go find your brother," he said

Raph ran blindly in the sewers hearing the approaching footsteps of his brother he ran fast in panic. The last thing Raph wanted was to stop and talk.

Raph was too far a head of them. Splinter knew the sewers the best lead the way and tried to cut off Raph's path. With some luck after nearly ten minutes they meet up with the sad turtle.

Splinter set Mikey down and pulled Raph into a hug.

"My son, it is okay to be scared sometimes."

Raph was utterly exhausted. He practically melted in his father's arms. He managed to say "I couldn't protect any of you...I let you down." tears were streaming down his face again, the bad dream playing non-stop in his head.

"Raphael, it was only a dream." Splinter said.

A loud rumbling sound could be heard over head. The turtles squeaked in terror, this was a familiar sound. The ground gave out from under them, they fell to the ground amongst the rubble.

Splinter stood up with Raph shaking and crying in his arms. Leo, Donnie, and Mikey were tightly huddle together.

Splinter gently rocked Raph back and forth, "you are safe my son."

Raph slowly stopped crying, Splinter set him down. He was still not convinced, neither were his brothers. Raph struggled against his father. In terror Splinter tried to calm his son, but it was too late Raph too off running into the darkness, his brothers close behind. "NO!" Splinter yowled, but it was no use, they were gone.

The others meet up quickly with Raph. Leo lead the way, Raph placed a hand on the back of his brother's shell, Donnie a hand on the back of Raph's and Mikey placed a hand on the back of Donnie's; now the could not be separated.

The earth beneath them rumbled alive once more. Mikey let out a shriek of terror when the ground beneath him crumbled, he felt himself starting to fall, dragging the others with him.

"I won't let this happen again!" Raph shrieked as he grabbed Leo and Donnie who had a strong hold on Mikey. Summoning all his strength, Raph pulled backwards, desperate to save his brothers; he pulled them back just enough so they did not fall.

Mikey was crying in Donnie's arms. Leo was sitting terrified next to them. Raph was staring blankly down at the hole in the sewer, he was shaking so much he has to sit down. Leo put an arm around him.

Raph, in an unexacting gesture surprised Leo when he returned a hug. Donnie and Mikey joined in as well.

Until Donnie spoke up, "where are we?"

They all looked around, it was dark layers of earth cracked and split, there was no way they could return the way they came from.

"We're never going to get home!" Mikey cried.

"Don't worry Mikey, we can try an' find away," Leo said.

But we are lost!" he called out again.

"What would Master Splinter tell us to do?" Donnie asked thinking out loud.

Agitated, Raph punched Donnie in the arm, "gee I dunno," he said he said sarcastically, "we aren't supposed to be prpar'd for the earth quakin'!" Raph snapped.

Raph was hiding his fear in anger, something he did well. Leo shot him an angry glare, while Mikey could not help but smile, for once he wan't being the one hurt by Raph.

"Mikey ya better quit laughing or your next!" Raph shouted shaking a fist, causing Mikey to stop.

"Fighting won't help us get out of here," Leo said, "we need to find a way back home."

Meanwhile, Splinter looked desperately through the sewers, using the brick wall as a guide in the unforgiving darkness. He shouted again, despite the raw throbbing pain from yelling so much. He did not have the chance to explain to his frightened boys it was and earthquake, something he never even thought about teaching them. He searched on, panic rising with ever passing second. His lungs begged for air, but he ran on, determined to find his beloved sons.

Splinter could hear faint shouts in the distance.

"Mikey, shut up! We all have to walk no on wants to carry you!" Raph snapped.'

"I think we went this way," Leo said.

"How can you tell? It's so dark in here. What did a rock tell you?" Raph was getting angrier as time went on.

"You don't have to be so mean, Raphie," Mikey said.

"Oh, shut up!"

"That's not nice, Splinter said not to say that word!" Mikey whined

"What word? Shut up? There I said it again what are you going to do about it?"

"Raph, stop it!" Donnie said raising his voice, causing his brothers to stop. Donnie was getting sick of his brothers arguing.

Raph has been terrified, but to cover it with anger he thought was the best solution, heck, the last thing he wanted was to be called 'soft' or 'weak' he suddenly heard a voice call their names.

"Leonardo! Donatello! Michelangelo! Raphael!"

Raph signaled with a raised hand to stop; it was Splinter.

"FATHER!" Mikey yowled in glee. Only to be stopped by his eldest brother.

"Wait a minute Mikey!" he hissed in an even tone, he still wanted his brother and him to stick together until they safely found Splinter.

Much to Raph's protest they continued forward holding hands.

"This is stupid!" he muttered, "why do I have to hold Mikey's hand? It's sticky! We have been stuck here forever how can it get sticky?"

"Raph, just stop it," Leo said getting slightly annoyed.

Splinter called out to the boys and the would respond, they were getting closer to each other with every step.

Splinter's heart leaped with glee when he wrapped his arms around his four sons. Mikey, Leo, and Donnie started crying half from fear of what they went through and half from joy of seeing their father again.

"My sons, are you hurt?" Splinter asked them

"No," Leo said speaking for all of them.

"Let us go home," Splinter said.

Mikey reached his arms up to be carried. Splinter smiled, scooping up his youngest in his arms, he started the long journey home.

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**Hope you liked it! This was my first collab!**


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